Electric switch



Dec. 31, 1940. A. HALL 2,226,719

ELECTRIC SWITCH Original Filed Oct. 25, 1934 VIII ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 3l, 1940 I UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicr.

2,226,119 l ELECTRIC swrrcn Original application October 23, 1934, Serial No, 749,542, now Patent No. 2,177,482, dated October Divided and this application August Z9, 1939, Serial No. 292,370

3 Claims.

This invention relates to electric switches of the type having a rotor and stator. v

The present application is a division of coi pending application S. N. 749,542, filed October 23, 1934, now Patent No. 2,177,482, issued October 24, 1939.

An object of the invention is the provision of an adjustable stop for switches of the type described, whereby the angle of rotation thereof may be adjusted.

Other objectsof the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing taken in connection with the' appended claims.

The invention comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, arrangement of parts, and methods of manufacture and .operation referred to above or which will be brought out and exemplied in the disclosure hereinafter set forth, including the illustrations in the drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an end view of a switch arranged according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line Ill-l0 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section on the line H-II of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an end View of the switch at the opposite end from the view of Figure 1, with parts broken away.

According to the present invention a readily adjustable stop member is provided for limiting the degree of rotation of the switch rotor.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention is described herein, it is contemplated that considerable variation may be made in the method of procedure and the construction of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

Referring to the drawing a switch is illustrated of a type suitable for varying the circuit connections in radio sets and the like and for general purposes, such as for electric and electronic devices, testing circuits, electric home entertainment devices and the like.

'Ihe switch comprises a stationary frame including an insulating contact supporting base or stator 49 and a metal index plate 55 rigidly held in spaced parallel relation by suitable rods or bolts having spacing sleeves.

A rotor assembly including an insulating rotor disc 52 rotatably positioned in a circular aperture in the center of stator 49, a control shaft having sections 53 and 54 and an indexing arm assembly 56, 59 is mounted to turn in the frame.

The switch is provided with a plurality of contact terminals 48 mounted on stator 49, each having a contact finger 50 adapted to make contact with bridging contact or contacts 5| on disc 52.

D isc 52 is rotated by shaft 53 suitably connected to operating shaft 54 passing through a bushing in index plate 55. l

The shaft 54 is provided with suitable means for indexing the position of the contact bridging piece 5I relative to the contact fingers 50. This means preferably comprises an arm 56 secured upon theshaft 54 and having the endthereof turned at right angles thereto to provide a member 51 located adjacent the base 55 adapted to cooperate with a fixed' stop 58 struck out from the base. Adjacent the arm 56 is mounted a resilient index arm 59 preferably having an aperture therein to receive the member 51 so thatl the arm 59 may be rotated with the shaft 54. Upon the opposite ends of the arm 59 are preferably mounted rollers 60, 60 adapted to roll over the inner surface of theindex plate 55 and to seat into the circumferentially spaced indentations 6i properly to index the position of the bridging piece 5I.

Certain conditions require that the rotation of the shaft 54 be limited in one of a plurality of positions. Accordingv to the present invention adjustable stops are provided whereby the rotation of the shaft 54 may be limited in any desired manner. For this purpose a plate 62 is removably mounted over bushing 63 surrounding the shaft 54 by suitable means, for example, a nut 64. The plate 62 has any suitable means adapted to cooperate with means upon the base 55 to x the former relative to the latter in any desired position and is also provided with a member fixed thereon adapted to be disposed within the path of the member 51.

In the preferred form the base 55 is provided with a plurality of holes 65 preferably located on the circumference of a circle circumscribed about the axis of the operating shaft 54, as shown in Fig. 3. 'Ihe plate 62 is provided with a pin 66 adapted to seat in any one of the holes 65 and to project through and beyond the base 55 intothe path of the member 51 to constitute a stop to linut the rotation of the shaft 54. Such structure allows readyadjustments of the stop 66, it being necessary merely to loosen the nut 64, disengage the pin 66 from one of the holes 65, position it as desired in any other hole and again tighten the nut 64.

The prsent invention improves an electric switch so that a single type of switch may be carried in stock to meet a variety of requirements and making unnecessary allarge stock of different switches with various numbers of switch positions. It is merely necessary for the person installing the switch to adjust the stop to the desired position at the time of installation, thus ailordingy a switch of the number of active positions desired.

While the present invention, as to its objects and advantages, has been described herein as carried out in specific embodiments thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereby but it is intended to cover the invention broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined index and adjustable stop mechanism for rotatable multi-position circuit selector switches, comprising an index plate having a bushing therein, a series of indexing depressions in said plate surrounding said bushing and a series of apertures also in said plate surrounding said bushing, a control shaft extending through said bushing, an index arm on said shaft having an indexing member thereon engaging said indexing depressions, a stop support plate adjustably mounted on said bushing on the opposite side of said index plate from said index arm, and a stop pin supported by said plate in a position to enter any selected one of said apertures and when entered therein to project to a position in the path of travel of said index arm to limit the rotation thereof. 1

2. An adjustable stop mechanism for rotatable multi-position circuit selector switches comprising a base plate having a bushing therein, a series of apertures in said plate surrounding said bushing, a control shaft extending through said bushing, an arm on said shaft adjacent one face of said plate, a stop support plate adjustably mounted on said bushing on the opposite side of said base plate from said arm, and a stop projection on said support plate in a position to enter any selected one of said apertures and when entered therein to project `to a position in the path of travel of said arm to limit the rotation thereof, means for securing said support plate on said bushing with its stopA projection entered within one of said apertures, said means being retractible to permit removal of said projection from any aperture within which it is positioned.

3. An adjustable stop mechanism for rotatable multi-position circuit selector switches comprising a base plate having a bushing therein, a series of apertures in said plate surrounding said bushing, a control shaft extending through said bushing, an arm on said shaft adjacent one face of said plate, a. stop support plate adjustably mounted on said bushing on the opposite side of said base plate from said arm, and a stop projection on said support plate in a position to enter any selected one of said apertures and when entered therein to project to a position in the path of travel of said arm to limit the rotation thereof, said bushing being exteriorly threaded, said support plate having an aperture fitting over the threaded portion thereof, and a clamp nut threaded on said bushing for clamping said support plate thereon with its stop projection entered Within one of said apertures. said nut being retractible to permit retraction of said support plate from said base plate and removal of said projection from any aperture within which it is positioned.

HARRY C. HALL, Administrator of the Estate ceased.

0f Arthur Hall, De- 40 

